Acumed Wins Patent Infringement Suit Against Stryker.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- On Tuesday in Portland, Ore., a federal jury rendered a verdict in favor of Acumed LLC, finding that one of its competitors, Stryker Corporation, infringed on an Acumed patent. The jury awarded damages in favor of Acumed for $458,853. It also made a finding of willfulness, which allows the Court to treble the damages and award attorneys' fees. The patent in question relates to a specialized rod that is considered cutting edge and used for the treatment of bone fractures.

"This is an important win for Acumed," said Alan Kozlowski, Acumed's President. "Stryker was using its rod l to target Acumed's customers, so it was important to stop them from infringing our patent."

Acumed's founder, Randall Huebner, invented the rod, which was the first rod specifically designed for treating proximal humeral bone fractures. Acumed has been selling its rod, called the Polarus, since 1994. Stryker began impermissibly selling its rod in 2004.

The case is Acumed LLC v. Stryker Corporation et. al., Case No. CV 04-0513-BR, pending in the District of Oregon. The trial was presided over by Judge Anna Brown. The trial lasted five days; the jury deliberated for six hours.